Rotary engine.



No. 862,462. PATENTED AUG. 6, 190.7. C. W. FINUKE.

RQTABY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED 1330.4, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

. a. w. FINGER.

ROTARY ENGINE, APPLICATION FILED 11160.4, 1906.

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N0. 862,462. PATENT ED AUG. 6, 1907.

Gu W. FINUKE.

- ROTARY ENGINE. APPL ATI H mum 13120.4, 1006.

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I atmmqo wit zoaeo unrrn srs'rs ROTARY ENGINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

Application filed December 4, 1906. Serial No. 346,356.

'inventedfcertain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.-

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof. and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure lis alOngitudinalsectiOnaI view of my improved rotary engine. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view thereof. Fig. -3 is a transverse sectional view through one of the condensers. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating the safety valve mechanism.

Correspondingand like pm'tsare referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring tothe drawings, the numeral 1 designates the cylinder of my improved rotary engine or motor, which-embodicain operation, two working chambers A and B into which lead branch passages a and b from a common inlet passage 2 for the steam or other motive fluid, the said passage 2 being formed by a tube which connects with the boiler in any suitable manner. Communicating with the respective working chamhere A and B are separate condensing chambers O and D from which leadpipes e and d and leading back to the boiler. i

The drive shaft 3 extends through the condenser D and is journaled within the cylinder 1, preferably by 1 means of a spider 7, the hub of which is ball bearing,

as indicated at 8: The other end of the drive shaft 3 is supported in a standard 10 and is provided preferably with a collar 11 mounted in an anti-friction bearing box in the said standard and held therein by means of thebdlted plates 12. This bearing of the shaft may be oiled by means of an oil cup 11*,while the opposite bearing 8 may be oiled liy a cup 9. Intermediate of its ends, the shaft 3 is provided with a collar 30 which extends through a stufling box 31 formed in the outer head of the condenser D, the bearing formcd'by said stuffing box being oiled, if desired, by means of an oil cup 32-. In the preferablearrangement, the pulley or hand wheel or the like by which power is communicated from the shaft 3 to the part that is to be rotated, is secured to said shaft between the condenser D and the standard 10.

The inner end of the drive shaft 3 carries a series of radial blades 4 that aresct at their inner ends into the periphery of the shaft and which may be bra'ced by diagonal braces 5 converging and connected to a collar 6 mounted on thflllitfl). I

Steam or the like is admitted from the inlet passage 2 through either of the passages 11 or b to the working chambers A or B by me'ahs of valves 20' or 22, that are provided with handles 21 and 23, respectively, so that the said valves may be turned and opened and closed from the outside of theengine casing. l

24 designates safety valves that are mounted within a frame 25 and are designed to control communication between the steam inlet passages and vent pipes28 lead: inginto the condensers. If desired, these vent pipes may be (1 irected back to the boiler at a point where the water fed therein -is at its lowest-temperature. The safety valves 24 are'prcssed to their seats to close the commu nication between the live steam inlet passages and'the vent pipes 28 by means of expansion springs 26.

27 designates a plate which is mounted within the which it is desired the shaft 3 shall turn. If it is, de-.

sired that the shaft 3 shall drive the part to which it is connected forwardly, the valve 22 is closed and the valve'20 is open'ed. Steam will thereupon be oxeluded directly from the live steam passage B, but will be admitted directly to the chamber A and will thence act. upon the blades 4 and turn the shaft in the desired direction. steam be cutoff from one of tho condensers or the other-according to the direction ii; which the shaft is turning and for this purpose the workingchambers A and B, while they are connected tothe condensers C and D, have their communication between the charm bers'and condensers controlled by valves. The communication between the chamber B and the condenser It is,-of course, essential that the D is controlled by means of gate valves 19; which slide laterally upon opposite sides of the shaft 3 in suitable guide ways in the engine casing and which arcn1anip-- cation, by means of screw rods 19, extending in opposite directions out through the casing. The communication between the working chambers A and condensers (l is controlled by a turning valve 15 which is mounted to turn in one direction only, on a pivot 16, and which is adapted to abut against a seat 17.

The valve 15 is controlled by means of the handle 16 I as seen best iniFig. 2,. Hence as the steam'enters through passage aanddnto working chamber A to drive, the shaft in one direction, the valves JS-must be held open, so that the steam as it works, upon the blades 4 may pass directly into the condenser 13, while the valve 15 must be closed. If itbe desired to turn the shaft in the opposite direction, valves 18 are closed, valve 15 is opened the valve 20 is closed, and the valve 22 opened, whereupon the steam will enter through inlet passage b and thence throughl working chamber B to act against the blade 4 in the opposite direction and finally escape through the valve 15 into the condenser (J.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided avery simple construction ol rotary engine which is composed of comparatively few parts, and which may be easily manipulated to re verse the direction of rotation of the drive shaft 3 whenever desired, and in which the steam passes directly into condensers at opposite sides of the working; chambers, alter the steam has etiectively acted upon the revoluble blades i.

Preferably, the condensers t) and D are water jacketed, as indicated at 14, and they may be providtal with removable ribs or covers 14 which are also jacketed, the provision of said ribs enabling the interior of the condensers to be exposed so that they may be cleaned whenever desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. in a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder embodying two working chambers in open communication with each other and a series of revoluble blades mounted in the passage establishing: such communication, and a shaft on which said blades are mounted, means for admitting steam directly into one chamber or the other, condensers in direct connnunication with the respective working: chamhers, and means for shuttingotl the communication, from either of the said working chambers to the said condensers.

2.. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder embodying two wo chambers in communication with 1 4 each other, a sci icsoi revoluble bladesanonnted in the passage establishing such conununication, a drive shaft upon which said blades are mounted, a motive iluid inlet pipe adapted to be connected to any source of supply and prtn'ided with two branches adapted to communicate with ses ion the Working chambers. respectively, independently movable valves controlling: said eommunleation, (:ondenser's in communication with the respective working chambers beyond the valves that control the communleatimi between said chambers and the branches of the inlet; pipe, and valves controlling communication between the condensers and the working chamber.

.l. in a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder embodying two working; chambers and an inlet pipe provided with distinct branches adapted to communicate with the said chambers respectively, independently operable valves adapted to control the communication between the respective branches and the working chambers, a series 01? revoluble blades between said chambers and in connnunication with both of them. a drive shaft upon which said blades are mounted. co ulensers adapted to communicate with the working chambers upon opposite sides of said blades, 11 manuall operable valve mechanism controlling the coinmunication between one chamber and one condenser, and

a valve controlling: the communication between the other chamber and the other condenser.

i. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder embodying two working chambers, there being provided inlet passages leading to the respective chambers, valves controllim: the communication between said passages and the respective chambers. a series of blades mountedto revolve between the chambers, a drive shaft upon which said' blades are mounted, condensers adapted to connnunictrte with the respective working chambers on opposite sides of said blades, valves controlling said communication, and a sat'cty valve mechanism, the same comprising a pair of valves '34, Spring pressedtowards their seats, and vent pipes' arranged to establish communication with the branch inlet passages and the respective condensers, the said sat'cty valves controlling the said communication.

in testimony whereof l nllix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES ivfrincnii. its si'l \i'ltnesses llaxs Fmcnn, llnNar M. la-iwis. 

